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First 2020 Jeep Gladiator Drives Off the Assembly Line

It’s official – the Jeep Gladiator is now a reality! Earlier, during the third week of March 2019, after loads of hype and release-date buildup, the very first 2020 Jeep Gladiator rolled off the assembly line. The Gladiator was assembled at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) Toledo, Ohio plant.

Let the record books show that it was a Gladiator Rubicon with a Billet Silver exterior complete with off-road options and the latest automotive features that rolled off the assembly line. Potential buyers will be happy to learn that the Gladiator Rubicon was outfitted with all-terrain tires, a tonneau cover for the bed, and the new Trail Rail System. These are all good signs that the automaker will have the accessories ready to go at launch time.

This is the first of many Gladiator pickup trucks that’ll be built ahead of the rumored release date sometime in June of 2019. Once the release date approaches, the pickup will become gradually available at dealer lots nationwide. Here’s hoping that all this enthusiasm in the air for the Gladiator turns into actual sales demand once it arrives.

On its release, the Gladiator will feature a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine under the hood as the only option. Rumors about Jeep allege that the brand wants to introduce a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine option sometime in 2020. When equipped with the Max Tow Package on the Gladiator Sport (base trim) and the 3.6-liter V6, this pickup can tow 7,650 pounds – a figure strong enough to trump bitter rival Chevrolet and earn a best-in-class towing distinction. Oh, and customers will be able to opt for it in a six-speed manual, an increasing rarity in today’s pickup segment.

As its release day approaches, there’s only one looming question that the Gladiator has yet to answer – its price. No specifics have been mentioned by Jeep, but industry experts expect that the Gladiator will be somewhere near or a bit above the Wrangler it’s inspired by. Models that are fully loaded, such as the Gladiator Rubicon equipped with several of the available packages, could place the vehicle somewhere among the luxury half-ton pickups that rank a full class above the Jeep.

Regardless of the pricing, the curb appeal of the Gladiator doesn’t wane – it’s a capable pickup truck that can moonlight as a convertible adventuremobile at the drop of a hat. Jeepers are a devoted set of fans and oftentimes we see all sorts of Jeep vehicles modified to the nines. It’s not a stretch to think it’ll be the same for the all-new Gladiator, with the price doing little to act as a deterrent.

There’s no question that Jeep might just be on the brink of another smashing sales success. Jeepers have been waiting for a pickup truck from the brand for over a quarter-century as the last of the Jeep trucks, the Comanche, was phased out during the early 1990s. Check out the video footage of the first Jeep Gladiator coming off the assembly line below: